Segre



M. SEGRE Ra 23,683

FCUNTAIN PEN -V 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 7, 1953 Original Filed Hay 5. 1947 INVENTOR d rfa St] pg,

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M. SEGRE FOUNTAIN PEN V July 7, 1953 original Filed may 5. "1947 3 ,Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR ik w ATTQRNEYJ M. SEGRE FOUNTAIN PEN July 1, 195s 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Hay 5, 1947 INVENTOR Ma rig J f 1.

ATTORNEYS spect to the tube I. To guide tubes IBA and IBB `there may be provided respective rings 22a and 22,b for each, which are loosely inserted in tube I.

The, number of screw-threads and multiplying pieces may be increased or decreased according tov the necessities of construction, size of the fountain-pen and the amount of ink in relation to the size of the fountain-pen itself.

The needle 4 has two longitudinally extending tubular channels or passageways 5, 6 therein Channel 5 extends substan-tially completely through the needle, from an opening 1 in a side wall of the needle adjacent the lower end thereof to opening I4 at the upper end. The other tubular channel or passageway Ii starts in the opening 'l but] itsupper end is situated opposite the lowest point of reservoir I2 when the needle is in retracted position or completely inside, i. e. the piston in its highest position. When the needle 4 is in this position, opening 1 is situated opposite a channel 8 extending radially through the nib support 3 and leading to space 9 which is situated below or underneath the [pen] nib I and is for supplying ink -to the [peni nib. This space also serves as an ink-deposit or ea:- pansion chamber under the [pen] nib IIl and can be so constructed that it may contain a maximum of ink and at the same time have a large retaining capacity by meansof cells or, any retaining system but always permitting an Yade- -quate supply to the pen nib. To avoid leakage of air or ink between needle il and [pen-supporti the nib support 3 a round packing I I as shown in Figure l can be inserted around needle 4.

rihe needle 4 is preferably oval in shape in this embodiment and the oblong opening 'through pen-suppor the nib support 3 is ci a conformingly oval cross section in order to prevent its turning together with the piston i3 fixed to it. as the turning oi the needle 4 would prevent functioning of the system oi' screw-threads and consequently the system of filling the pen. The needle could also have other shapes. for example, at with round edges.

It will be Inoted that the needle 4 is thus reciprocably mounted within the cylindrical plug which forms the nib support 3. The pen nib l0 is mounted adjacentv the outer surface of the nib support and is radially spaced from the needle 4. In this embodimentthe radially extending channel or passageway 8 in the nib support provides communication between the reservoir 12 and the expansion chamber 9 and nib 10 when the needle is in the retracted position as shown in Fig. 1 but this communication is interrupted when the forward end of the needle having the opening 7 is moved to the extended position for purposes of filling as hereinafter described.

The described fountain pen operates as follows: to ll it, button or cap i which is joined to tube I1 is rotated to move the piston I3 until ink commences to flow out ofthe end of needle Il.

, When the ink thus begins to flow out, the end of the reservoir. When the piston I3 and needle 4 reach the fully retracted position, the fountain-pen iscompletely filled and communication is then established between reservoir I2 through channel 6, opening l, channel 8 up to the space 9 which supplies pen nib I0 as in other type fountain-pens. The communication through channel 6 to the pen] nib is established only when the piston I3 and needle i are in their fully retracted position and the lling operation is ilnished. Tubular channel 6 is solely for providing ink to space 9 which forms supply and deposit means for ink behind the pen nib.

When lling the reservoir I2 is completed, the needle is empty because the last part of the piston movement is done without fithte] the needle 4 being immersed in the ink. `Irrnnediately. a circulation is established between reservoir I2 and spaces E, l, ti, 9. Therefore the ink flows from reservoir I2 to spaces 6, l, 8, 9. Meanwhile air will escape through spaces t', 5, I4. Whendnk has filled space 8 (i. e. the pen is ready for writing), the flow of ink to the pen nib is interrupted. Subsequently the ow of ink continues normally by gravity and cohesion of the liquid.

It will thus be apparent that means have been provided whereby the reservoir of a fountain pen may be readily filled with ink without the necessity of dipping the nib or writing point of the instrument directly into the ink during the jilling operation and therefore it is not necessary to wipe or blot excess inlc from the nib after the filling step has been completed. Also, after filling, the needleis automatically retracted toa 0 position rearwardly of the writing point so as not to interfere when the instrument is used ,forv

writing. The filling needle is conveniently reciprocated by turning the button or cap 15 which is mounted for rotation on the rearward end of the barrel 1, the needle being held against axial rotation whereby the threaded means cooperating between the needle and the 'button eects said reciprocation upon relative rotation of the elements. The provision of the opening 7 ina side wall of the needle and the axial passageway 8 in the nib support permits the flow of inl:A from the reservoir to the nib automatically only after the needle has been retracted to its rearward position and without further manipulation of the instrument. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3 the venting passageway'S and the lznlc feeding passageway 6 both etendthrough the needle and communicate with the nib through the registering passageways 7 and 8, thereby eliminating the necessity for separate valve arrangements for the ink feeding passageways and the venting passageways while the instrument is being used for writing.

In Figure 4 a modication of the construction is shown as regards the supply of ink to the pen nib. Needle 4 has, in this construction, only the tubular channel [5] 5 which serves for nlling the pen. The supply to the pen nib is eected through a channel 9a in support 3', and from there by Way of channel 23 through channel 24 in needle 4' and channel 25 to space 9b situated beneath the [pen] nib I0 which is consequently supplied by it. When moving the needle for filling or emptying the fountain-pen, channel 24 changes its position thereby interrupting communication between channel 23 and channel 2s and cuis cfr the path of the ink to the pen nib. At the same time, this path of communication between the reservoir and the cutside is cut off. Thus, communication between in the needle.

reservoir I2 and the exterior for filling and emptying the pen is established through channel It is possible in this modification to retain a channel 8' to insure the balance of ink inside the pen. Nevertheless, channel I the needle 42 through a channel 28, to channel 92 which supplies .the pen] nib. By moving the needle with the annular channel 2l, communication between channel 26 and channel 28 and thus, supply to the [pen] 'nib is interrupted.

In Figures '7 and 8 a different supplying system for the pen nib is shown. The ink flows from reservoir l2 through a channel 29 formed in the needle 43 and through channel 2B to channel 93 which supplies the [pen] nib. By moving the needle Il3 with channel '29, communication between the latter and reservoir I2 is interrupted.

Figures 9 and 10 show means-to absorb ink remaining on the exterior surface of the needle 4G when it is drawn out of the ink after havins`r filled the pen. In the lower end of {pen-supporti nib support 34 there are situated radially. around the opening of needle '40, channels which together form space 36. This space should possess sufficient capacity to absorb all ink adhering to the outer surface of the needle iii and the channels comprising it should be so constructed as to possess a capillary action of adhesion.

Figures ll and 12 show means for closing space 3U when the needle 4li is inside ci the pen, to preventspaces 30 and 55 from setting dirtv while the pen is being used. It' consists in a disc 33, pivotally connected at i4 which opens and closes together with the needle 45 as the needle is extended or retracted.

It is obvious 4{that changes in construction and modifications of details can be eiected without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l.. In a fountain pen, in combination a barrel, a [pen] m'b support in an end of said barrel, a [point] nib on said [pen] nib support. said [pen] nib support having a longitudinal bore therethrough. a filler-needle movably mounted in said barrel. an end of said vfiller-needle entering said bore in said {pen} nib support and being slidable therein, a piston fixed to said filler-needle in said barrel at an end remote from said [penf mb support, said filler-needle having a channel therethrough and an opening from said channel in communication with said barrel adjacent one end thereof and another openingl from said channel through the side of said filler-needle at the opposite end thereof said {pen} nib support having an inwardly directed opening therein for coaction with said other opening in said filler-needle, means secured to said filler-needle for moving said piston and said filler-needle with respect to said barrel whereby the said other opening in said filler-needle is projected from said ijpen] nib support for lling and emptying of said pen, and ink feeding means for said Epen point'ji m'b communication with said opening in said {pen} nib support, said ink feeding means being operable only when said filler-needle and said piston are in fully retracted position when said longitudinal bore is in open communication with said opening in said [pen] nib support.

2. In a fountain pen as claimed in claim 1, said means for moving said ller-needle and said piston comprising a plurality of tubes having screw threaded surfaces thereon, said tubes being mounted one over the other and the screw threaded portions thereofof one said tube coacting with the screw threaded portion of an adjacent tube, the innermost of said tubes being in screw threaded contact with said filler-needle whereby upon rotation of the outermost of said tubes said piston and said filler-needle will be urged forwardly through said coacting tubes.

3. In a fountain pen as claimed in claim l.V

said filler-needle having a second channel therein opening at one end into said barrel and at the other end thereof communicating with the said ink deposit for said tjpen pointy nib through said opening in said pen aib support, the first said opening of said second channel' being closed upon forward movement of said,l fillerneedle and the second said opening of said-second channel being out of communication with said ink deposit upon forward motion of said fillerneedle, said openings oi said second channel being operable when said filler-needle and said piston are in fullf,r retracted position to provide ink. flow from said barrel to said Ipen point] nib.

4. In a fountain pen as claimed in claim i, said Aink feeding means for said [pen 'point m'b comprising a channel in said penji nib support having two branches therein directed towards and in communication. with theeiiternal surface of said filler-needle, said filler-needle having a recess therein normally in communication with both said branches when said fillerheedic is in iuliy retracted position, the surface of' said filler-needle cutting oil communication between said branches when said filler-needle is moved forwardly for iilling or emptying said pen.

In a fountain pen as claimed in claim Isaid init feeding means for said Epen poiritl nib p comprising a longitudinal channel in said pen] nib support in open communication with-ink in said barrel, an annular channel around the periphery of said filler-needle, said pen] nib support having a second channel therein communicating at an end thereof with an ink deposit for said [pen point] mi: and communieating with said annular channel when said filler-needle is in fully retracted position, said annular channel being out of communication with said second channel in said [pen] nio support when said filler-needle is moved forwardly.

6. In a fountain pen as claimed in claim ,1, said ink feeding means comprising a longitudinal channel formed in the external surface of said filler-needle, a channel in said [pen] nib support communicating at one end thereof with an inl: deposit for said {pen point] nib and at the other end thereof with said external channel.

in said filler-needle, an end of said external channel in said filler-needle being in communication with ink in said barrel rwhen said/fillerneedle is in fully retracted position and being out of communication with ink when said-hilerneedle is moved forwardly.v

7. In a fountain pen as claimed in claim l, said {pen} nib support having a pluralit,r of radially spaced channels in the free end thereof, said radially spaced channels together forming a capillary space for absorbing ink adhering to the outer surface of said filler-needle after said pen has been lled with ink.

8. In a. fountain pen as claimed in claim 7, a disc hingedly connected to said [pen] nib support, said disc covering said radially spaced channels in said [pen] nib support when said ller-needlegjs in retracted position.

9. A fountain pen comprising a barrel enclosing an ink reservoir, a plug mounted on a forward end of said barrel having means deflning a longitudinal bore therethrough, a pen nib mounted on'a forward end of said barrel transversely spaced from said bore, and a fillerneedle mounted for reciprocation within said bore, said filler-needle having ink: feedv and venting channels extending longitudinally therethrough each being in communication with said reservoir at one end and having means defining an opening at the forward end of said fillerneedle in communication with said channels, said channels providing the sole means for filling said reservoir and for venting said reservoir and feeding ink from said reservoir tosaid nib when said pen is in use, said filler-needle having a forward end extensible to a position forwardly of said nib and retractable to a position rearwardly of the forward end of said nib, and said plug including means defining a transverse inkfeeding passageway communicating between said nib and said opening when said filler-needle is retracted to said rearward position.

10. A fountain pen comprising a barrel enclosing an ink reservoir and including a pair of coaxial portions secured togetherin relatively axially rotatable relationship, a pen nib mounted on a forward end of said barrel and transversely spaced from the longitudinal axis thereof, a filler-needle coaxial vwith said barrel mounted for reciprocation through the forward end thereof for extending the forward end of said filler-needle to a position forwardly of said nib and for retracting said forward end to a position rearwardly of the forward end of said nih, said filler-needle having means defining longitudinal feed and vent channels therethrough communicating with said reservoir and having means defining an opening adjacent theforward end of'said fillerneedle in communication with said feed channel, said opening being in ink feeding communication with said pen nib when said filler-needle is in said retracted position, said channels providing the sole means for filling and venting said reservoir and for feeding ink from said reservoir to said nib when said pen is in use, restraining means on one of said coaxial portions for holding said filler-needle against axial rotation when the other of said coaxial portions is being rotated.

through said bore to a position forwardly of said Y nib and retractable to a position rearwardly of the forward end of said nib, said filler-needle including means defining feed and vent channels extending longitudinally from the forward end thereof into communication with said reservoir and having means defining an opening in a for` ward end Vthereof in communication with said feed channel, said nib support including means defining an ink feed passageway communicating between said nib and said opening when said filler-needle is retracted to the rearward position, and said channels providing the sole means for filling and venting said reservoir and for feeding inc from said reservoir to said nib when said pen is in use.

MARIO SEGRE.

References Cited in the le of this patent or the original patenlt UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name v Date ,509,420 Edelman Sept. 23, 1924 1,5%,502 Attula Aug. 4, 1925 1,567,527 Lynn et a1 Dec. 29, 1925 1,706,616 Kovacs Mar. 26, i929 1,719,374 I'nara July 2, 1929 1,903,022 Bassett Mar. 28, 1933 r FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain of 1907 

